Myakka River State Park, Sarasota

Stretching over 14,973 hectares (37,000 acres), this is one of the state’s largest, oldest, and most diverse parks. Myakka River State Park features wetlands, hammocks, pinelands, and prairies--great homes for a variety of wildlife. Take a stroll on the boardwalk over Upper Myakka Lake, and see if you can spy any alligators. Also visit the canopy walkway, a treetop suspension bridge and tower, for superb views of the lush landscape and bird-watching opportunities. Keep an eye out for the roseate spoonbill. With pink plumage and a spoon-shaped bill, it’s one of the most striking birds found in North America. Head to the park’s river or one of two lakes to go canoeing, kayaking, or freshwater fishing. If you’re in the mood for a more relaxed visit, sit back and enjoy a scenic lake tour. Don’t forget to pack sunscreen and bug spray. Myakka River State Park is just one of the many highlights you can arrange to see using our international travel planner, Sarasota Edition.

If you want to see alligators in the wild then I would recommend going here. We saw at least 30 yesterday. They have several spots where you are able to get out of your car and take pictures. They hav...
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By Chris HOn January 14, 2018

Costs us $6 per car to enter the Park. We also took the airboat ride at about $15 per person. Well worth it for about an hour's tour. We saw numerous birds, deer and probably about 50 alligators. Grea...
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By travelerscalOn January 13, 2018

We spent about 4 hours in the park. It is a great place for wildlife watching. First, stop on the bridge on your way to and from a boat tours place. There are a lot of birds and alligators very close....
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Beautiful state park with all manner of Florida wildlife and plants to see. Start with a look through of the visitors center with examples of animals that make the park home. The 4 or 5 short videos are informative. After that there is a road through the park out to a restaurant and gift shop. While driving we got out to see alligators (from a safe distance), armadillos and many species of birds. A highlight is the canopy walk which puts you above the trees for some great pictures.

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By Billy ZOn November 28, 2017

About $7 dollars entrance fee there is loads to see beyond the ranger station. lovely winding roads with large oaks arching to form tunnels of branches overhead. Plenty of Gators and abundant bird life. If you like man made amenities there is a large gift shop and an impressive cafe overlooking a large body of water. There is also a 70' tower and below a suspension bridge that takes a path through the tree canopy. A great family adventure!

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By Stephanie CoxOn January 3, 2018

Beautiful park a short drive from Sarasota. We were able to see many gators at two different spots within the park. The ranger told us there were over 10,000 gators in the park. We also saw spoonbills, vultures and so many other birds. You can take tram or boat tours which we did not do, opting for the free options. There is a place called deep hole where sometimes hundreds of gators can be seen sunning. You need to get a permit at the office to go there and they only give 30 permits per day, which are gone right near opening time. If you are lucky enough to get one, it will be a 2.2 mile walk each way to get to deep hole - no cars allowed.

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By Peggy BairOn December 8, 2017

A really terrific Wildlife Refuge for many species of reptiles and birds.
It's a SUPER place to go if you like seeing alligators! The (free) Canopy View Structure was really cool and worth the climb up the 75 feet.
The Flatboat Adventure Tour was well worth the $15.00 price, as our guide was smart, funny and easy to understand over the noise of the boat. We were amazed at the number of alligators on the banks of the lake as well as those that swam out to our boat! We also a long (safe) hike in the shade of the old oak trees.

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By Ken BakerOn January 3, 2018

This is a nice state park. We went canoeing (myself, wife and two teenage boys) between Christmas and New Years. It was easy to get the canoes, easy water access and the service was great. A little bit of a wait to get a canoe, but not long (10 min). Return was easy.
Restroom access at the lake was good and the rest rooms were clean and plentiful.
For the lake itself, we enjoyed the canoeing. We saw a ton of alligators (some small ones up close) and a lot of different kinds of birds. We also saw three wild boar near the water (on the more isolated north side of the lake).
Great park overall and we really enjoyed this with our family.

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